Wrecked Planes - AK - Interactive

[Fran]

 

 Wrecked Planes

 

 

AK - Interactive

Price tag: 22,95€ (plus shipping)

 

AK-Interactive is becoming bigger and bigger in the world of Modeling, covering all aspects of model making, from consumables of enormous quality, to own kits as well as in high quality publications.

This week we received the Wrecked Planes with great enthusiasm, as it is not very common this kind of work, mainly due to the difficulty in creating dioramas with planes, especially dioramas with downed planes.

 

The cast of modelers who worked on this title guarantees us works of excellence right away.

 The book is in A4 format and has about 143 pages, with soft cover with reinforced inner cover. The paper is satin finish, with a good touch and with excellent printing, giving a lot of quality to the colors and image.

 

Opening the book, we have an introduction with beautiful photographs of the second world war, very inspiring for future works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the content and looking at the index, there`s works for everyone taste:

-Junkers Ju-87 B-2 – Airtor Azkue

-Messerschmitt Me-163B – Airtor Azkue

-Aero L-29 Delphin – Daniel Zamarbide

-Lockheed F-104 Starfighter – Fabrizio Mercuri

-A-4N Skyhawk – Christoff Theunissen

-Pipper PA-“Pawbee” – Ugur Kenel

-Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero – Kristoff Pulinckx

-Yakovlev Yak-3 – Daniel Zamarbide

-PBY Catalina – Roberto Ballesteros

-Grumman S-2A Tracker – René Van Der Hart

-Electric Lightning F.2A/F.6 – Juan Villegas

 

 

 

 

All authors either present airplanes in poor repair, due to abandonment or because they were shoot down, destroyed or abandon.

 

Being destroyed planes, all are presented in diorama or vignette and in different natural environments, which is great because it allows to see the approach of the various authors both to the creation of the wear / destruction of the planes and to the creation of the respective lands.

 

The work by Aitor Azkue (1:32 Trumpeter Ju-87B-2 and 1:32 Meng Me-163), a true master, are always a piece of art and the dynamic given is unique. I already knew these two dioramas but I think this is the first time that I have seen it in full detail articles. Aitor gives some looks of his real talent with pictures in detail and with several step-by-step in the various phases of construction.

Both planes were shot down with the author showing a great balance in the creation of these works of art, sharing some of this with the reader.

The level of detail and realism is extraordinary; Something that Aitor has already accustomed us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a note, a negative one, at least for me.  The swastika is cut, but it´s not Aitor Azkue fault. I´m not going down on that polemic subject but is History that it can`t not be forgetten. So, it is an editorial option from AK (probably to sale the book in Germany) as I already saw pictures of these Aitor works and the complete swastika is there.

 

Daniel Zamarbide, a very well-knowed modeler and a very talent one, also presented us with two fantastic works, giving special emphasis to L-29 at 1:72, all in metal, in a small setting harsh winter season. A step by step of all the construction of the plane as well as the base, since it is already worth the price of the book.

 

 

Zamarbide's other work is the 1:48 Yak-3 (Zvezda), also in winter. Once again the highly explanatory step-by-step is very welcome at all levels, both at the level of the model itself and at the level of the base.

 

 

 

A fabulous work by Fabrizio Mercuri is the 1:32 Italeri F-104 Starfighter, a small vignette, with only the front of the F-104's fuselage.

 

 

The author carefully show all the main steps in construction and painting. I particularly highlight the discoloration and wear and tear given to the insignia (which are decals). Simply brilliant.

 

The next one is a little gem. A great little weathering job is the 1:72 KP Piper Pa25 “Pawnee” by Ugur Kenle.

 

 

The visual result is very good and the author is able to show step by step the whole painting and weathering process being a outstading learning asset for everyone! In this case, there is no how-to of the little base, nor is there even an enlightening and complete image that shows the work in question in a splendid way.  I would love to see it.

 

Next up is the 1:72 Academy PBY Catalina by Roberto Ballesteros. Right here, although the work is wonderful (perhaps the best in the book) there are only photos of the complete work and a short text by the author to explain, in a succinct way, how he managed to obtain such effects and carry out the work he did. Too bad because it was one of the works, when I saw it announced, that I really wanted to see a step-by-step and it is the only work that does not have any work in progress pictures.  So it just step out of the other works and the intended concept of this book as it´s not only gallery but also and mainly a learning book.

 

The 1:48 Kinetic Grumman S-2A Tracker by René Van der Hart, is the opposite of Catalina.  It is a magnificent work, but like the others, it has lots of how-to and step-by step photos, either of construction (in its main points) or in painting, or finally in weathering.

 

 

 

The 1:48 Hasegawa A-4N SkyHawk by Christoff Theunissen gives us another perspective so far, as it is the scenario in the desert and the extent of the damage to be replicated is more specific and concrete. The author was careful to present his tricks clearly regarding bullet damage along the fuselage.

 

 

Of course, the Pacific beaches could not be left out and here are very well represented by the 1:32 Tamiya A6M5 Zero by Kristoff Pulincx, that it´s on the cover of this book.

The author is careful to show in detail and very well explained how he obtained the damage created in the fuselage and the wings.

 

 

 

The painting phase and especially the weathering has a very intuitive and clear step-by-step explanation.

This diorama is perfect, with the weathering spot on.

 

Finally, for originality, my favorite:

 

1:48 Airfix Electric Lightning by Juan Villegas

 

A small vignette using only the front part of an Electric Lighting, on an outdoor display, with all the natural dirt. The graffiti and 3D figure taking a selfie makes this vignette a real delight.

 

 

 

 

Here, also the explanation of the weathering and scratch building of the support cart and the base is very explicit and clear.

        

CONCLUSION:

Another killer publication from Ak-Interactive!

Beside the paper quality and printer definition that is top quality, the content of this book is a quite inspiration one to all the modellers and dioramas modellers

 

Very Highly Recommend

 

Francisco Guedes

 

Our thanks to the Fernando and AK-Interactive for this review sample and all the support.

To purchase this directly, click THIS link.

 

If you found this review helpful and decide to purchase this product, please tell them you read about it at Large Scale Modeller!

 

 

 

 

[Bomber_County]

Amazing book, I grew up on on Shep Paine but these guys take it up another notch........if I lived for another century I’d still not be anywhere near their skill level.......thanks for the review......

 

[harv]

Very interesting....harv

[Rowdy]

Could be a very useful item for me! 
 

Very well executed wrecks

[DocRob]

On 11/11/2020 at 8:00 PM, Rowdy said:

Could be a very useful item for me! 

Can't see why you need this .

Anyway, an interesting book with some nice ideas and inspirational dios.

Cheers Rob